Why are you so angry? Peach clock to balk, no smile for a colleague...What to do with Velazquez?

Sep 07, 2025

The match between SSG and Lotte at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 5th. Lotte starter Velazquez, who will be replaced in the bottom of the fifth inning. Incheon=Song Jeong-heon, Reporter Song @sportschosun.com/2025.09.05/

The match between SSG and Lotte at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 5th. First base with no outs in the bottom of the fourth inning. Lotte Velasquez who committed pitcher balk. Incheon=Song Jeong-heon, Reporter Song @sportschosun.com/2025.09.05/

Lotte Velazquez, who allowed a preemptive two-run homer in the bottom of the second inning.

It was a winning move for the season, but it seems to be a great failure.

What should I do with Vince Velazquez, a foreign pitcher who has become a `bright, easygoing pitcher' with 38 major league wins behind him.

In the meantime, I'm not used to the official ball, and I'm not in good condition' was an excuse.

However, the match against Incheon SSG on the 5th was different. The maximum speed of the fastball was 153 kilometers and the pitch depth was 150 kilometers. The basic repertoire of 150km fastballs, 140km sliders, and 130km curves, considered at the time of recruitment, and the foundation for game operation and rapid control have been completed. In particular, the sharpness of the slider, which is considered the main weapon, seems to have been recovered to some extent.

However, the ball speed of the fastball did not look good compared to the speed of the ball. The bigger problem was control, and mental. Despite his 150km power pitching, he was clearly shaken psychologically on the mound as SSG newcomers Ryu Hyo-seung and Ko Myung-joon hit home runs one after another.

Control didn't go his way either. In particular, Herredia's timely hit was reasonable when the catcher demanded a high-course fastball with a ball count of 0B2S.

Lotte Velazquez, who made a pitcher balk error in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Above all, the nervous attitude was noticeable on the mound. He was warned twice by pitch clock while trying to take a long pitch interval, and also produced a skit in which he balked twice in one inning.

It seems to be more comparable to Tucker Davidson, who has been raising the team's atmosphere with a pleasant attitude all the time. Velazquez did not have any special reaction to the scene where Reyes sprinted and caught the missed Texas hit, or the catcher reacted quickly to Cho Hyung-woo's bunt mistake and treated it as a foul fly. When a good defense came out, Davison, who responded with cheers and cheers without hesitation, clapped over his head and gave him a thumbs-up, naturally came to mind.

He may have become more sensitive due to his poor performance, but his attitude within the team is also regrettable. He is not seen as a veteran who played in the big leagues for more than seven years, who was determined and cautious when he first entered Korea. I understand his frustration because of his poor performance, but releasing that sensitivity to the outside doesn't help the team's chemistry. Velazquez, who is already being criticized whenever his colleagues go out, is pretty.

The match between SSG and Lotte at SSG Landers Field in Incheon on the 5th. Lotte Velasquez allowed a two-run home run to SSG Ryu Hyo-seung in the bottom of the second inning. Incheon=Song Jeong-heon, Reporter Song @sportschosun.com/2025.09.05/

Davison's replacement was a good choice. The problem is the reaction of other teams at the time of Velazquez's recruitment. Some teams considered recruiting. However, he was excluded from the final list. "We've been watching, but we don't think the current situation is very positive." The concern seems to have come true.

It is a disastrous report card with one win and four losses in five games and an 8.87 ERA. He has not had a single quality start (more than six innings and less than three earned runs).

However, Lotte currently has no clear alternative. Coach Kim Tae-hyung said, `If you throw a fastball with your mind, you will get 150 kilometers. I brought him with the belief that he was better than Davison, and I have to trust him and use him," he said, expressing his intention to continue using him as a starter in the future.

Will we see how Velazquez has changed in the rest of the year. With the nightmarish 12 consecutive losses in August and even fall baseball in jeopardy, the ranking drops if there is a game, and if there is no, the ranking rises. When will Lotte be able to shake off this sad self-portrait.